The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-17

Georgia issues are scarce and costly, $50 bill,
however, being worth just the same as quar-
ter of dollar-$2 One of these which repre-
sents tree forcing milestone upward by its
growth. is interesting and suggestive. the
motto also abiding to the growth of the colo
MES. Notwithstanding the oppression OF Eng
land. 1t would be emirenty appropriate, just
at present, for Ireland. Maryland bills are not
SO rare.
"a claim for f34O against the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, issued under authority of
that State 10 January, $780, can be purchased for
the moderate sum of 81. The treasurer of the
Commonwealth would, however, doubtless re-
fuse to honor il il presented. On the other
hand, a Massachusetts, bill for two pence. with
pillars and Goldfish design, but no beans.
also worth 81. which illustrates more plainly,
perhaps. thai any other comparison, how utter
ly the matter of face value is ignored in revolu-
tionary currency.
New York money of the revolution brings
quite fair figure. bill signed by Abraham
Brinckerhoff for half Spanish milled dollar,
Sept. 2, 1775 being worth g. Indeed, with the
exception of few five and ten pound issues,
most New York money, colonial and revolution
airy, Is worth more than or about its face In
terestng issues are those of the New York wa
ter-works, running from IVA to 1776 inclusive.
cases more than in others, close to the original
value. AS TO present values the New York Is
sues present a favorable contrast to those of
most other original States.
For Inscriptions North Carolina currency
takes the prize. Ii King George ever got hold
of any of the currency of that State it must
nave been in teresting reading 1t Is, however,
rather calculated to arouse mixed feelings to see
a ten dollar bill, with the inscription American
Union Forever going for fifty cents. while
forty dollar bill reminds Americans of the cost
OF mpioning Freedom of Speech and Liberty
Of the Press by scale of just thirty nine dol
lars.
IA Virginia bill of three hundred dollars is
sued for army clothes. is worth only the moder-
ate sum of two dollars, while NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
bills of the same Commonwealth, set afoat in
1850, bring only half dollar apiece. a Virginia
ethousand-dollar bill of 1881 is rated at from
81 to 81 90 and a two-thousand-dollar bill of the
81 Virginia appears have gone in more
heavily than any other State on bills of large
denominations.
The worth of confederate money a curiosity,
like that of Continental currency, bears no rela-
ton to its face value. The possessor of one of
the very few confederate silver half-dollarss
struck off about the beginning of the rebellion
rates its value at 81 ,00O On the other hand, a
confederate $500 bill with a picture of Stone
wall jackson is worth just 25 cents. A 800 bill
with the head of Mrs. Jefferson Davis can be
bought for so cents. There is not confederate
bill in existence, whatever its face value, worth
moro than ST. None of the State issues of the
Confederacy reach ST. in value. although FIVE
and ten-cent shin plasters of Alabama, North
Carolina and South Carolina bring 10 cents
apiece among collectors.
I'm the darkest days of the war even the most
enthusiastic Unionist could hardly have antic-
ipatea that within quarter of a century five
cents Of United States fractional currency
would be worth from so cents to a dollar, or
from ten to twenty times the lawful value.
Such however, is the fact to the series of
1862, while certain specimens of all the issues
are largely ia demand at high prices"